MARGE DUNTON-REIDA

Submitted Copy

Monday

May 21, 2007 at 12:01 AM

SOMERSET — Founder of Naukeag Hospital in Ashburnham, Marge Dunton-Reida, 83, died May 2, 2007 at the home of her son, Dr. Edwin C. Dunton, Jr. Somerset, Mass., where she had been residing for the last 18 months. Marge was born April 25, 1924 in Somerville to Maurice and Mary (O’Brien) Hurley. She graduated from Somerville High School in 1942 and Rutgers Institute of Alcoholic Studies. She married Edwin C. Dunton, Sr. in 1943 with whom she had her only child, Ed Jr. Subsequently, she was married to Dr. Alvah Reida (deceased 1975), Joseph McMahon and Clarence Jackson (deceased 1985). She started her own local newspaper, the Hampden Observer in Hampden, Maine in the 1940’s. She held a variety of employment during the 1940’s and 1950’s to include the companies of Raytheon, St. Johnsbury Trucking and Pepsi-Cola until she found her true calling in life, helping others to help themselves. In 1960, with a $2,500 loan from her mother, Marge (a friend of Bill W.’s since 1957) founded Naukeag Hospital in Ashburnham. Her goal was to provide alcoholics a place to be listened to and understood as individuals with unique problems and needs. Marge and her staff at Naukeag gave them that opportunity. Over the next 25 years, Naukeag Hospital was one of those magical places where all the right things come together at just the right time to help first dozens of people, then hundreds of people, then thousands of people. This help came with their sobriety and a new beginning through being hospitalized at Naukeag and participating in the program it provided. She retired from Naukeag in 1982. Marge was a much sought after speaker in Alcoholics Anonymous around the country. In fact, she was a featured speaker at Bill W.’s 50th Anniversary. She also addressed many groups of healthcare professionals and addiction specialists. She was an avid traveler to many parts of the world and especially enjoyed her trips to the Middle and Far East. She is survived by her son, Dr. Edwin C. Dunton, Jr. and his wife Jodiann (Somerset); her granddaughter, Dr. Theresa A. Dunton and her husband Gary McGonagill (Big Stone Gap, VA); three great-granddaughters, Mollie, Maeve and Millie’ ten step-children and two step-grandchildren, Tabetha and Melinda. She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Edwin, Alvah and Clarence; sisters, Mary, Anna, Emma and Rita and her grandson, Tedi. There are no calling hours. A graveside memorial service will be held on August 4th at 11 a.m. at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Route 134, S. Dennis, Mass. to be followed by a reception in celebration of her life at the home of her niece, Andrea Campbell, 280 Trotting Park Rd., West Dennis, Mass. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to The Marge - Dunton-Reida Naukeag Patient Fund. Please mail donations to McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont St., Belmont, MA 02478-9106 To the attention of Jay Livingstone. If you are one of the countless individuals whose life was changed by meeting Marge and want to share your experience at her memorial service, please call her son, Ed at 1-508-982-6927.

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